Is this normal?

[Justhatched]

Today I cleaned out the coop. We had some rain and it managed to get the inside of the coop wet in one spot. I let the girls out and started cleaning up. One of my girls (Brahma) was in the nesting box waiting to lay her egg. I noticed one of my Orpington's jump on the side of the coop and look in the window and bok bok at me. I was amused by this. She jumped down and then jumped at the side of the "run". She wanted to get in. I thought she wanted to be with the one that was in the nesting box. I was done cleaning up the pine and went out to enjoy interacting with the girls. My husband was feeding them peanuts. They love them. The one laying was done and I let her out of the run. I kept it closed because I didn't put any pine down because I was drying it out. The Orpington still jumping up on the coop looking in and bok boking. I picked her up and put her in the nesting box. I started thinking she wanted to go in there because she had to lay an egg. After about 30 minutes or so she layed her egg. Is this common to have a chicken act like that to lay her egg in the nesting box or was it a fluke? I expected them to lay (if they needed to) on the ground because they were "free" not in the coop or run like normal.

Our girls stay in the coop/run. I like to let them out to free range as much as possible. It doesn't always happen. Could it be that she is "trained" to lay there and that is what she wanted to do?

Also, often I find a chicken or two in the nesting box while one it laying. I look at it like they are giving moral support to the one laying. Is this common?

 

[aubreynoramarie]

creatures of habit

"nesting boxes" are called as such for a reason. good girl!

 

[kari_dawn]

ha ha chickens are creatures of habit (which makes them great for keeping!), and they don't like change. She wanted to lay in her normal spot!

 

[hmmcc123]

My girls do this almost every morning. They usually pick a favorite nest box (even though we have 5 available for only 10 girls!) and they will show their irritation at whoever dares use THEIR nest box. They will Bok, bok, bok (GET OUTTA MY NEST BOX!!) until they get their way. lol Sometimes when I am home and one is doing this, I go check to see if the one using the nest box has layed her egg yet so the noisy one can finally be happy that it is her turn in her favorite nest box. lol Silly girls!